Tony Parker Explains Reasoning Behind Leaving Spurs for Hornets

During Parker's final season, the Spurs narrowly made the postseason before losing in the first round. Had Parker stayed in town, the outcome wouldn't have changed much, and Parker has complicated feelings surrounding his Hornets' tenure, but he doesn't regret it.

"That was hard, because I wanted to finish as a Spur," he revealed on the Knuckleheads Podcast. "No hard feelings, obviously, with Pop or the organization, because they're the ones who gave me a chance when I was 19 years old. There's no way that I'd be mad at them, never! At the same time, I was going into a situation [in Charlotte] where I went to play for my idol, so that's how I became friends with Michae [Jordan]."

Since retiring from basketball, Parker has taken ownership of a team in the French League and grown as a businessman, and he credits Jordan's mentorship for his success.

"Everything I learned from MJ helped me in my new career in the business world," he continued.

Parker made the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility and his No. 9 was quickly retired by the Spurs. Despite a strange end to his career, he is one of the most decorated players in franchise history and has cemented his place as an all-time great.